Your wildcard into Swinburne's flagship startup competition

This year, Venture Cup is casting the net wider.

Venture Cup Wildcards is an opportunity for Swinburne students, researchers, staff and alumni with a promising idea or early-stage venture to step forward, strengthen their pitch and compete for a place on the Venture Cup stage.

Whether you’re exploring what’s next, building on an existing venture or ready to take an idea further, this could be your wildcard moment.

Venture Cup 2026 prize pool

AwardPrize amount
1st Prize$5,000
2nd Prize$3,000
3rd Prize$1,500
People's Choice$500

Is this for you?

We are seeking applications for 3 world card categories at our flagship Venture Cup Pitch event:

Wildcard category Who it's for?
Social Impact Researchers, including HDR and ECR researchers, and academics with ideas that could create social, cultural or community impact.
Student & Early-Stage Ventures Swinburne students and early-stage founders not already progressing through the core Venture Cup pathway.
Final Year Students
 Final Year students developing promising solutions through capstone projects or challenge-based learning.
Note: While there are three Wildcard categories, the selection team may award a fourth Wildcard to a founder from an underrepresented or marginalised group. This will be determined based on the information provided as part of your application.

What you need to do?

Use Startup in a Box, Swinburne's digital venture-building platform, to develop your idea, complete the guided canvases, and submit your video pitch. We welcome applications from Swinburne students, staff and alumni across the following categories:

  • Social impact ideas.
  • Student and early-stage venture ideas.
  • Solutions from final-year capstone projects or challenge-based learning.

Key dates

Date Activity
30 September 2026 Applications open in Startup in a Box.
6 October

In-person sessions at Hawthorn hotel:

  • Wildcards group coaching: 10am – 11.30am
  • Pitch training:12pm – 1.30pm
8 October Applications close.
9 October Selected Venture Cup startups announced.
13 October Selected startups attend pitch development and storytelling coaching with Jon Yeo (TEDx), plus rehearsal and feedback.
20 October Optional 1:1 Pitch Coaching.
27 October Selected startups pitch at the Venture Cup event.

Application requirements

As part of your application, you’ll need to submit a 3 minute pitch video and a pitch deck.

Your pitch video should introduce your team, the problem your startup is addressing, your solution and how it works, the impact it could have on the market, and why you want to take part in Venture Cup. Upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo and make sure the link is publicly accessible.

Your pitch deck should cover the problem, target market and market analysis, solution, business model, traction to date, team, next steps, and how you plan to use the funding. 

Your next steps

  • From 30 September, access Startup in a Box and complete the online canvases at your own pace.
  • Optional: Attend two in-person sessions on 6 October: Wildcards Group Coaching, 10.00am–11.30am, and Pitch Training, 12.00pm–1.30pm.
  • Submit your Wildcard application by 8 October at 11.59pm.
  • If selected, you’ll attend a pitch coaching session with TEDx speaker coach Jon Yeo on 13 October.
  • Additional 1:1 Pitch Coaching on 20 October.
  • Prepare to pitch at Venture Cup on 27 October.
Have questions about the Venture Cup Wildcards?
Schedule a session with us

You can also schedule a 15-minute session with our team to discuss your application and goals for the program. Simply email us at innovationstudio@swinburne.edu.au to lock in a time.

Explore more of our programs

Want to know more?

If you have any questions, need more information or you're wondering how Swinburne Innovation Studio can help turn your big idea into a real thing, contact us via email at innovationstudio@swinburne.edu.au.

Contact us now